TOP STORIES
Trump to Axios: “We Are Low-Keying It” with Iran | Axios
“President Trump signaled on Sunday that he’s prepared to allow economic pressure on Iran to mount—as opposed to ordering a new military offensive—even as the country continues to defy the U.S. . . . ‘We are low-keying it,’ Trump said during a brief phone call. ‘We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money.’ He stressed that Iran ‘is in very bad shape’ economically and has no money to pay its troops. The U.S. naval blockade has exacerbated the Iranian regime’s economic crisis, Trump said.”
Iran Issues List of Demands, Complicating Efforts to Reopen Strait | New York Times
“A top Iranian national security official delivered a sweeping set of demands on Saturday that he said the United States must meet before the Strait of Hormuz can reopen to maritime traffic, throwing the fate of the critical trade waterway into question. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued a statement carried by state media laying out multiple requirements for reopening the strait. He called for the United States to lift its naval blockade and sanctions on Iran, withdraw the U.S. military from around Iran, pay war reparations and release frozen Iranian assets, as well as end attacks on Iran’s allies in the region and threats against the country.”
Inside the War on Hezbollah’s Finances | New York Times
“When Israel launched its latest war against Hezbollah in March, the first targets the military warned it would strike were not weapons depots or underground command centers. They were banks. Israeli fighter jets leveled more than a dozen branches of a shadowy financial institution known as Al-Qard al-Hassan, long accused of operating as Hezbollah’s bank in Lebanon. More airstrikes followed on exchange shops that Iran used to funnel money to Hezbollah, its Lebanese proxy, and on gas stations that generated revenue for the group. . . . The bombings capped the most aggressive campaign yet by Israel, the Trump administration and Lebanon’s own government to squeeze Hezbollah financially by disrupting the group’s funding channels, particularly from Iran. . . . Now, Hezbollah is grappling with its most severe economic strain in years, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times and interviews with Lebanese, U.S. and Israeli officials and Hezbollah insiders.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
Iran Elevates Longtime Military Commander to Top Security Post | New York Times
“Iran is replacing its top national security adviser with a longtime military commander whose appointment could represent a further consolidation of power by the country’s old-guard security establishment. Mohsen Rezaei, who led Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, will be the new secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, a spokesman for Iran’s president wrote on social media on Sunday. . . . [UANI Senior Advisor] Saeid Golkar, a professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who studies Iran’s security forces, said Mr. Rezaei’s elevation was a further sign that the Revolutionary Guards were making the key decisions within Iran. But in Mr. Golkar’s view, this change does not indicate that those decisions would be more hard-line, or more pragmatic for that matter. What does seem likely, he said, is that Mr. Rezaei and [Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher] Ghalibaf would eventually clash because of their intense ambitions.”
The US Continues to Strangle: Iran Loses Its Main Source of Income | Maariv (Translated from Hebrew)
“United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a Washington-based lobby group that monitors Iranian oil shipments, said that since July 12, it has not identified a single tanker loaded with Iranian crude oil that has managed to leave the Gulf.”
Iran: US Naval Blockade Paralyzes Oil Exports | i24 News (Translated from French)
“The organization United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) claims, for its part, that no oil tanker loaded with Iranian crude has successfully left the Persian Gulf since July 12.”
“Days after reports of Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's health being critical surfaced, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News agency released an undated video of him on Saturday, August 8. . . . Jason Brodsky, who [is] policy director at ‘United Against Nuclear Iran’ organisation, according to his X account, said, ‘This footage is old, from before the war. It was first circulating in March. It’s telling #Iran's regime’s Mehr News feels the need to circulate old video of Mojtaba.’”
“‘These comments by President Trump suggests the U.S. is aiming for a middle course for now: holding off on military escalation and avoiding rushing into a bad deal, while letting the U.S. blockade continue to add pressure on Iran's regime,’ according to Jason Brodsky, policy director at the United Against Nuclear Iran think tank. ‘This limbo will become the new normal for some time,’ Brodsky warned in a post on X.”
“United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a US-based anti-Iran advocacy group, compiled data showing that no oil tankers carrying Iranian crude have exited the Persian Gulf since July 12.”
Iranian Oil Tanker Blockade: Global Energy Market Impact 2026 | Discovery Alert
“According to nonprofit shipping watchdog United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), no confirmed laden Iranian crude tanker has been documented successfully clearing the Gulf of Oman without encountering U.S. enforcement action since the blockade’s July 14 reinstatement.”
DIPLOMACY
Iran Insists Strait Will Stay Closed Until U.S. Agrees to Demands | New York Times
“Iran said on Monday that any deal with Oman on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would not lead to the waterway being fully reopened and that the route would remain closed until the United States agreed to demands including lifting a naval blockade.”
Talks with US Won’t Happen While Interim Deal Is Breached, Iranian Minister Says | Reuters
“Iran and the U.S. are not engaged in talks and Tehran will not start them as long as Washington breaches an interim deal signed in June, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday, adding that messages are being exchanged via intermediaries.”
Iran Sees an Opening to Kick the U.S. Out of the Gulf | Wall Street Journal
“Iran is vowing to bar U.S. Navy warships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz as part of an agreement to reopen the waterway, pressing its goal of curtailing America’s decades-old military presence in the Persian Gulf.”
“Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Saturday that re-opening the Strait of Hormuz is not related to Iran-Oman negotiations but conditional on the U.S. accepting Iran's conditions.”
Vance Warns US Still ‘In the Middle of the Game’ with Iran Despite Talks | The Hill
“‘I do think that we’ve made some progress over the last few days,” [Vice President JD] Vance told Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany, pointing to negotiations between Iran and Oman over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. But Vance cautioned against viewing the talks as a sign that an end to the war is imminent. ‘This thing is not over. It’s obviously not at the beginning. We’re in the middle of the game,’ he said. ‘We’re applying a whole host of tools, diplomatic, economic, military tools, to ensure that we get the best outcome for the American people.’”
MILITARY MATTERS
Trump Thought Opening the Strait of Hormuz Was Imminent. Iran Had Other Plans | Wall Street Journal
“On Friday, the president on social media suggested victory was already in hand even without a nuclear agreement, linking to an article declaring ‘Donald Trump Won the Iran War.’ . . . On the nuclear concerns, Trump has told senior aides privately in recent weeks that Tehran is likely unable to revive its nuclear work during his presidency after the U.S. destroyed three primary nuclear sites last year, the officials added. U.S. intelligence capabilities would likely catch any Iranian attempts to rebuild those facilities or covertly build a bomb, the president has said in recent meetings, and he is confident the threat of more American attacks would serve as an enduring deterrent. If the U.S. can keep the nuclear program in check and traffic resumes in the strait, then Trump is more likely to extend the current ceasefire indefinitely, the officials said. Trump also is expected to lift the U.S. military blockade on Iranian ports if Tehran fully reopens the strait, they added.”
“Over the last few weeks, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine has privately made clear to other top Trump advisers that the US needs to find an off-ramp from the war with Iran—because the military options on the table to escalate the conflict could backfire and airpower alone is unlikely to achieve President Donald Trump’s stated objectives, according to three sources familiar with the matter.”
Iran-Aligned Houthis Claim They Attacked Oil Refinery in Saudi Arabia | Guardian
“Yemen’s Tehran-aligned Houthis have claimed responsibility for an attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia, two days after the kingdom signed a defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan in response to growing regional instability caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.”
Iran-Backed Cells Go Smaller, More Secretive in Iraq | Alhurra
“Iraqi sources told MBN that security agencies are tracking a network of small cells directly linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), operating outside the structures of the country’s established armed factions. The cells have carried out drone attacks targeting Erbil as well as neighboring countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait. According to the sources, the network was established over the past several months, as Iraqi armed factions began discussing the handover of their weapons under pressure from both Baghdad and Washington. . . . The sources said the cells represent a shift in how Tehran-aligned groups operate inside Iraq.”
Defense Pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Not Aimed at Iran, Turkey Says | Associated Press
“A defense agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey is not aimed against Iran or any other country, Turkey’s foreign minister said Saturday, describing the pact as an important step toward regional stability. . . . In an interview with Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan insisted that the three countries do not view any particular state as an adversary unless they take hostile action against them.”
Iran Says No Reason to Fear Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi Security Pact | Reuters
“Iran sees no reason to be concerned that a new security pact between Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia is directed against Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday. Baghaei said the pact showed a shift in regional countries’ approach to security, with greater reliance on their own capabilities rather than outside powers. ‘Any plan that is based on the geopolitical and historical realities of the region, is comprehensive and inclusive, and correctly identifies the enemy and the threat, has a chance of helping to strengthen security and prevent instability and abuses by the Zionist enemy and its allies,’ he added, referring to Israel.”
Amoli Larijani: Sovereignty over Hormuz Belongs to Iran | IranWire
“Sadeq Amoli Larijani, Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council, emphasized the Islamic Republic’s stance on the Strait of Hormuz, stating that conditions in the waterway will not return to the status quo ante. Speaking to state television (IRIB) on Sunday, August 9, Amoli Larijani stated that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic are deployed in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that ‘sovereignty over this waterway belongs to the Islamic Republic.’”
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
“Public executions returned to the streets of Iran last week as the regime clamps down on public dissent following months of war with the U.S. and mass protests in January, according to recent statements from human rights groups and family members of those executed. Cranes were used to set up hanging ropes in Isfahan, a central city in the country, to execute three young protesters.
‘I Was So Wrong’: Iranians Say Trump’s Promises Never Came True | New York Times
“In the weeks leading up to the U.S. war with Iran, President Trump cheered on the Iranian protesters rising up against their government, telling them that they should ‘save the names of the killers and abusers’ and that he would come to their aid. ‘HELP IS ON ITS WAY,’ he promised. But more than five months into the conflict, liberating the Iranian people has been one of the war’s most glaring unfulfilled objectives.”
Iran Arrests Football Fan-Page Operator After Protest-Themed Posts | Iran International
“The operator of an Instagram fan page associated with Iranian football club Kheybar Khorramabad was arrested after the club filed a complaint over content published in its name, the club said. The page had published posts referring to the January 8-9 protests, depicted dissenting goalkeeper Rashid Mazaheri confronting Zahhak, the tyrannical figure from Persian mythology, and showed unveiled female models presenting designs for the club’s kit.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
U.S. Targets Iran’s Banking System, Companies with New Sanctions | CBS News
“The Trump administration on Friday announced its eighth round of Iran-related sanctions as diplomats race to secure a deal on the Strait of Hormuz. The new sanctions target Iran’s banking system and companies across multiple countries that the Treasury Department says launder hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Iran’s 7% Unemployment Rate Masks Deeper Jobs Crisis, Experts Say | Iran International
“Nearly one million people dropped off Iran’s social security contribution rolls over the past year, a labor expert told ILNA, pointing to a sharp contraction in formal employment that he said is not reflected in the country’s official unemployment rate.”
Tehran Rents Hit Three Times Many Workers’ Monthly Pay | Iran International
“Average advertised monthly rent in Tehran has climbed above 720 million rials, roughly three times the earnings of many Iranian workers, exposing a widening affordability gap as some tenants face increases of up to 100%, market data showed in late July.”
First Red Meat, Now Dairy: Iran’s Household Diet Keeps Shrinking | Iran International
“Soaring food prices are reshaping what Iranian families eat, with new figures showing a steep decline in dairy consumption alongside a longer retreat from red meat as household purchasing power erodes. . . . According to the latest figures from the Statistical Center of Iran, dairy products in July cost around 147 percent more than a year earlier.”
HOSTAGES
“This week, CBS News received another recording from inside the notorious Evin Prison in Iran with an update from U.S. citizen and journalist Reza Valizadeh. . . . Valizadeh is one of the five U.S. citizens still trapped in Iran, two of them at Evin. Three others are believed to be under exit bans, which means Iranian authorities are preventing them from leaving the country. . . . He said that for the past five months, the Iranian authorities haven't allowed his family to visit, which he believes is punishment. . . . He said he is also worried about exposure to a fellow prisoner who was suffering symptoms of tuberculosis, like coughing up blood, and says for more than a year now the prisoners have had little to no medical care.”
British Couple Held in Iran End Hunger Strike | BBC News
“A British couple jailed in Iran after being accused of espionage have ended their hunger strikes after 93 and 84 days respectively. Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested in January 2025 while passing through Iran on a motorcycle journey from Europe to Australia. They were both sentenced to 10 years in jail in February, but Craig Foreman’s family said his punishment had been extended by two years after speaking to the media.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran Official Says Footage of Khamenei Jr Will Be Released | Iran International
“Footage showing Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in public and meeting armed forces commanders will be released, a senior Basij official said on Sunday.”
Iran’s Pezeshkian Recently Met Supreme Leader Khamenei, State Media Says | Reuters
“Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei around the start of the president’s third year in office in late July, state media said on Sunday, and a paramilitary leader promised footage of Khamenei in the future. Pezeshkian has given differing accounts in recent weeks about his access to Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since he succeeded his father in the role in March.”
“Iranian cleric Mohammad-Bagher Kharrazi was summoned to the Special Clerical Court after calling for the Islamic Republic to be replaced by a more hardline ‘Islamic government’ and outlining plans to mobilize a 250,000-strong network capable of surrounding government sites.”
Kharrazi Says Video of Remarks Was ‘Almost Fake’ After Court Summons | Iran International
“Iranian cleric Mohammad-Bagher Kharrazi said a video circulated of his recent remarks was ‘almost fake,’ after he was summoned to the Special Clerical Court over comments calling for the Islamic Republic to be replaced by an ‘Islamic government.’”
Iran’s Friday Prayer Leaders Reject US Talks, Renew Calls for ‘Revenge’ | IranWire
“On Friday, August 7, Friday prayer leaders across major Iranian cities used their sermons to reiterate demands for ‘blood revenge’ following the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while expressing fierce opposition to diplomatic engagement and negotiations with the United States. In Ahvaz, Abdul-Nabi Mousavi-Fard, serving as the representative of Mojtaba Khamenei, the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, declared that Iran is preparing to extend its missile ranges to 15,000 kilometers to directly target the U.S. mainland. Mousavi-Fard stated: ‘We are preparing so that the American people also experience missile strikes and understand what it means to be dragged through blood and dust.’”
CONGRESS & IRAN
Senate Passes Sanctions Bill Targeting Russia and Iran | New York Times
“The Senate passed a sweeping new package of sanctions targeting Russia and Iran on Friday, approving a measure aimed at supporting Ukraine in its fight against President Vladimir V. Putin’s war of aggression. . . . The bill’s passage came just weeks after the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham, its leading champion, an unexpected turn that provided a burst of momentum for the package among senators newly incentivized to push it forward in his honor.”